People living in the shadow of six potentially active volcanoes will take part in this major new study exploring better ways to forecast and cope with future eruptions. Led by the University of East Anglia (UEA), the £3 million project will focus on six volcanoes in the Caribbean, Colombia and Ecuador. Volcanologists, social scientists, and international development experts will work closely with the communities directly at risk to improve preparations for and responses to dynamic volcanic activity.

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Knowledges and Expertise

Different types of knowledge are important when seeking to understand environmental issues: alongside scientific and technical knowledge, experiential, embodied, indigenous and local knowledges are often called upon in public discourse. The boundaries between these different forms of knowledge are often fluid and they can be expressed through different types of expertise. Confrontations between these different forms of knowledge and expertise can trigger public controversy. This research strand of the 3S Group studies the origins of these different forms of environmental knowledge and how their associated types of expertise are authorised in various social settings. This understanding can contribute to an improved grasp of the dynamics between evidence and policymaking and to appreciating the role and limits of knowledge in contributing to social and cultural change.

Hazards and Risk

3S works collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders, affected communities, scientists and risk management authorities and across all levels of government, in a reflexive and interdisciplinary way that recognises multiple knowledges. We address challenges presented by human-made, technological and natural hazards and their associated risks across areas including climate change, radioactive waste and a range of environmental hazards such as flooding and volcanic.

Our research draws on and contributes to different theoretical and methodological approaches including actor network theory, governance and behaviour change, multi-hazard perspectives, citizen science and participation.

About 3S

We conduct world-leading research on the social and political dimensions of environment and sustainability issues. 3S is based in the School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, UK.